How Long Does It Take to Adopt a Child in Bulgaria?

The adoption process in Bulgaria is thoroughly regulated to ensure that every child is placed in a safe and appropriate family environment. Adoption includes several mandatory stages and checks, which can often take a significant amount of time.

The adoption procedure in Bulgaria is mainly governed by the Family Code and the Regulation on the conditions and procedure for adopting a child. It includes several important stages that are designed to ensure the best interests of the child. The prospective adopters undergo a detailed assessment, and the process requires cooperation with the Social Assistance Agency (SAA) and judicial institutions.

Main stages of the adoption process:

1. Submitting an application – The first step is submitting an application to the regional directorate of the SAA. In the application, the candidates must state their desire to adopt and provide necessary documents, such as proof of income, medical certificates, a criminal record certificate, and others.
2. Investigation and evaluation of the candidates – After submitting the documents, the SAA begins the process of investigating and assessing the prospective adopters, which usually takes about 3 months. During this phase, a social worker conducts interviews and visits the candidates' home to assess whether they meet the requirements and whether they can provide a suitable environment for the child.
3. Registration in the adoptive parent registry – After successful evaluation, the candidates are registered in the adoptive parent registry. From this point, the waiting period begins, during which the SAA looks for a suitable child who meets the criteria of the prospective adopters and the needs of the child.
4. Finding a suitable match – The goal of the SAA is to find a suitable match between the prospective adopters and a child that fits their requirements. The waiting time for a suitable child depends on whether the adopters are willing to adopt a child with health issues, unknown origins, or a child from a specific age group.
5. Judicial adoption process – Once a suitable child is found, the prospective adopters must submit a request for adoption to the court. The judicial process can take between 2 and 4 months, depending on the court's workload. The court reviews the case, and if it determines that adoption is in the best interest of the child, it issues a judicial adoption order.
6. Adaptation period – After the court's decision, the child is placed with the adopters. In the first few months, social services continue to monitor the child's adaptation to the new family to ensure that the child receives the necessary care and support.

How long does the adoption process take? The average duration of the adoption process in Bulgaria is about 12–24 months. The time can vary significantly depending on several main factors: • The preferences of the adopters • The workload of social services and the court • Legislative changes and administrative hurdles: Changes in legislation or the need for additional documents can temporarily delay the process.

Adopting a child from abroad Adopting a child from Bulgaria by foreign citizens is further complicated, as it requires international coordination. Foreign adopters also go through the registry, but the process includes coordination with relevant foreign institutions, which may increase the duration of the process to 2-3 years.

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